Ancestor, Feng Bao, the forth Great Grandpa in Guangdong Province, married
Lady Xian. He was appointed Governor of Gao Liang in the Liang Dynasty,
AD 502-533. With the help of his wife, Lady Xian, he won the hearts of
the local people in the district. He died in AD 533, at the age of 44 and
was buried in the Old Tomb Na Chuan Jin in Xin Hui District. He was given
a very grand funeral; by the nobles of the District because they loved him for
his good administration as Governor.
In his tomb, some stone statues of heroes, horses, lions, tigers, arrows
and columns were built. 4th Great Grand Ma, Lady Xian was knighted
by the King for her meritorious services to the nation and the people.
It was said that when Lady Xian was a young maiden, in her parents home,
she learnt martial arts , military strategies etc. from a mysterious person.
She was proficient in commanding and directing the army in fighting. She
had charisma over the subordinate officers and men. Above all she could
convince the general public to keep law and order. She always advised
the relatives and their country men to be kind to each other and live
peacefully. She managed to establish faith and goodwill among the people.
When her brother, who was rich and powerful, pressured the nearby counties
people to pay their homage to him, she was much annoyed. She admonished
him a number of times. She mediated many disputes. At the end thousands of
people in Nan Hai Dan Zhou, came and paid homage to her. When this was
known to the Governor of Luo Zhou, Governor Feng Rong, betrothed her as
daughter in law for his son, Feng Bao, the prefect of the Dao Liang County.
Though Feng Bao was the prefect of the county, his orders were not always
being carried out at the beginning. Lady Xian made rules and regulations for
her people and every one, regardless who he was if found guilty, would be
punished accordingly. As the rules and regulations were strictly kept, no one
dared to disobey or violate them.
In the year of AD550. King Liang Jian Wen, Hou Jiang wanted to revolt.
He conspired with the Governors of Guang Zhou, Xiao Bo, and the Governor
of Gao Zhou, Lee Qian Shi and others to form a front to lead the revolution. They
invited Feng Bao to the conference. Bao was tempted. He did not know that
there was a plot against the king. Lady Xian said that there was no important
incidents to warrant for such conference of the Governors. The sole aim of
Hou Jiang was to coerce the Governors to join the revolution against the king.
Bao asked :“how do you know? “ She replied “ It is said that Governor
Hou Jiang had been accumulating arms and ammunition and grouping his
men in the state capital. Lately, he claimed to be sick. Yet, he called for this
conference of the Governors. This shows that he wants all of you to be involved
and joined him. Please do no go.” Bao adopted an altitude of wait and see.
A few days later, Lee Quin See led the group and revolted. He sent General Du
Shi with a strong army to crash Bao. Lady Xiam said that General Du Shi was
known as a fierce fighter and if Bao were to meet him in the battle fields, there
would be bloody fighting and both sides might suffer heavy losses. Mean while,
Lee Quin Shi would be in Guang Zhou away from the battle fields, and might
enjoy the results of the battles. It would be much better if you spread rumors
that you dared not fight him and send a messenger with plenty of gifts to
him and talk terms with him. Lee would be overjoyed and did not prepare
for war, Once our men were inside the city, we could attack Lee and
destroy his army. She also suggested that she being a woman would lead
the procession and present the gifts to Lee Quin Shi. It was agreed.
Words were sent out to Lee as planned. Indeed, Lee was overjoyed as
Predicted.
Lady Xian selected a thousand well trained soldiers and disguised them
as servants and bearers to carry the gifts to Lee. They hid their arms in
the gifts. She was heading the procession laden with plentiful of gifts.
Lee saw them and was overjoyed and did not order his soldiers to be alert.
Once she and her group were inside the fenced town, Lady Xian and her
soldiers took their arms from the gifts and attacked the unprepared
defenders swiftly. She won the battle. Lee Quin Shi fled to the county Ning.
Thus peace was restored.
In the year Ad 553 (Quin Tai 5th year), Feng Bao died at the age of 44. In
AD 555 (King Chen Jing 2nd year), there was chaos everywhere except
the districts which were under the control of Lady Xian.
In AD 558 (King Chen Wu 2nd year), the king in honor of the good works
of Lady Xian, appointed her nine year old son, Feng Pu as prefect of Yang
Chun, assisted by Lady Xian.
In AD 570 (King Chen Xuan 2nd year), Ou Yang Ge summoned Pu to Nan Hai
and tempted him to revolt against King Chen. Pu sent a messenger to tell
his mother about it. Lady Xian said that she and her husband had been loyal
to the last three kings and did not wish her son to be a rebel, She sent the army
to the border, destroyed Ge’s army, captured Ge and beheaded him in the
town of Jian Kang.
She said that her aim was to keep peace in the area and to bring up her son
to be a good citizen and good officer. She advised every one to do good and
what is right and have no fear. King Chen knighted her and her son as Lord
of Xin Du. She moved to Shi Long Sheng (the city of the stone dragon), an old
town in Gao Liang District. She was known as the Lady of Shi Long.
Pu died at the age of 45. He had three sons, the eldest Cheng, the second Huai
and the third Ang.
In Ad 688, King Sui Wen decreed his army to crash the Chen Dynasty. He
ordered price Quang, Director General Yang Su and others. All in all
ninety generals and five hundred and eighty thousand soldiers to the
south to finish the Chen Dynasty once for all. Every one in the south was
terrified. The governors, the generals and the people nominated Lady
Xian to be their leader and led their army to the border and guarded all the
important passes, hoping to stop the advance of the large army from the
north. The two armies kept their positions in the hills and face each other.
As Lady Xian’s army was known to be well trained and well disciplined,
Director General Yang Su dared not move in. She was known a s the Lady
of Defense.
In Ad 610, the Sui Dynasty had finished the rest of the middle kingdom
of China. King Yang Quang had also captured King Chen in the capital.
He decreed the captured King Chen to write to Lady Xian and ordered
her to give up all resistances because Chen Dynasty was no more. She
should obey her King and surrender her army to the Sui Dynasty. He
sent her his staff, which was made of rhinoceros bones as a credential.
When she and other defending generals received the messenger and the
staff, they knew that their King had surrendered and the Chen Dynasty
was no more. They cried. Then Lady Xian sent in her petition and pledged
her loyalty to the king of Sui. She sent her eldest grandson, Cheng, to
welcome General Wei Shi of the north. All the counties were saved from
the devastation of war and the people lived in peace.
Months later, Wang Jong Xuan in Fan Yui revolted against General Wep Shi.
Many generals joined him. General Wei Shi moved his army from Guang
Zhou to the Herng Pass. Alas, he was besieged by the rebels there. Lady Xian
ordered her eldest grandson, Cheng to rescue General Wei Shi. Cheng being
very friendly with the rebel leaders, restrained the advance of his army and
did not take action. Lady Xian was very angry when it was reported to her.
She cast her grandson, Cheng into prison and sent her third grandson, Ang
to take over the command. He fought the rebels and killed their leader, General
Fu Chi. Together with General Loh Yuan, the two armies joined forces and
attacked Jong Xuan. Lady Xian in military attire, fought Jong Xuan herself
and killed him. She led her cavalry and toured all the counties. Everywhere
she went, the people pledged their loyalty to the new king of Sui.
Later, King Sui pardoned her eldest grandson, Cheng and appointed him
as Governor of Loh Zhou, her third grandson, Ang as prefect of Gao Zhou,
and her late husband as Lord Chau Gau, Governor of Guang Dong postmortem.
She herself was knighted as Lady Chau Gau. The queen also sent her jewelries,
clothing and food. She was given the authority to run the administration of
six districts in the south.
In AD 591, Kai Wang 11th year, the Governor of Fun Yu was corrupted
and treated the people very badly. Many natives revolted. Lady Xian
proposed a policy to pacify them with kindness and good government.
But the governor enforced martial law and executed some of the native
leaders. More disturbances were reported all over the places in the
following months. At the end Lady Xian was decreed to represent the King
to console the natives. Soon, in everywhere, things were back to normal and
the people was happy once more.
In AD 593,Kai Wang 13th year, King Wun knighted Lady Xian as Lady
Protector of the nation and was awarded an area of one thousand five
hundred house holds as reward.
In AD 600, Kai Wang 29th year, Loh Zhou was renamed Koo Kong Zhou.
In the same year, Lady Xian passed away at the age of 89. She was given
a state funeral and was buried in the Dian Bai District, locally known as
Gao Ling. She was knighter once more by the King as Grand Lady Protector
of the nation.
The people were so grateful to her and they built a temple in honor of her
At Gao Zhou Fu Town East. Soon, similar temples were built in
other places to remember her.
What a gorgeous and remarkable lady she was, our great- grand-ma of
the 4th generation.
Note: She is being worshiped in many temples in Malaysia. In Ipoh, her statue
is found in the Hainanese temple in Jalan Rusell.
Complied by Feng Rui Qiu.